Halloween 2015
by 4MeJasper
Summary: It's time, it's time! Halloween time, of course. Quick truffle-size stories about Jasper finding his Bella on Halloween.
1. Costume Issues, Chapter 1

Happy Halloween! It's time, it's time! Time for some little Halloween truffles, a few two-fers.

All credit for characters and setting to the amazing Stephenie Meyer, of course. She creates, I play.

Thanks to GeezerWench for the prompts and my amazing beta, EdwardsMate4Ever.

Costume Issues - Chapter 1

"Drat," Bella muttered as she exited the car. "My cape is stuck in the door." It was the Friday before Halloween, and she and Jessica had just arrived at Tyler's Halloween bash.

She opened the door, but it was too late. The silky red fabric was ripped, a corner had caught on the edge of the door, and a long hole appeared where the material had been pulled.

"Cheap, tacky…why am I wearing this?" she asked herself as she tried to smooth it out.

Jessica bounded up. "You look so cute." She beamed. "Oh, wait – what happened here?" she asked, looking at the torn corner Bella was holding.

"Stepped on it," she mumbled.

"Well, at least it wasn't rented," Jessica said.

No, it wasn't rented. It was Jessica's. She had made the outfit in Home Ec for extra credit. In order to get the credit, the costume had to be worn. To a party. With a photo as proof.

Which meant that Bella was modeling it as Jessica had decided to wear something else. Something a bit racier than her mother would have preferred. She looked like a Victoria Secret model in her lingerie-based outfit. What was she supposed to be, anyway?

"Sorry," Bella replied. "It was an accident…"

"Forget it," Jessica replied. "I made it, I can mend it. Just hide the tear when it's photo time. Let's go in."

They climbed up the stairs to Tyler's house, Jessica bounding and Bella walking more cautiously. The heels Jessica had lent her were only one inch, but she wasn't used to wearing anything but Converse.

When they got to the door and rang the bell, a "Boo" came from behind them. They turned to see a Scream ghost, with the trademark knife in one hand, a drink in the other.

Jessica squealed. "Mike! You surprised me."

The Scream ghost pulled off his mask, revealing a grinning Mike Newton. "How'd you know it was me?' he asked.

"Careful study of your…physique," Jessica replied.

Physique? Bella thought. He was wearing a long black robe with a hood. Whatever…

"I got you ladies all set here," Mike said, putting down the knife and picking up a second red plastic cup. He gave one to Jessica, who immediately passed it to Bella. Mike got a funny look on his face before handing the second drink to Jessica.

Bella took a gulp from her drink and choked.

"What's in here?" she gasped.

"That's the punch, Tyler's specialty. It's all good," Mike replied. "Love the Red Riding Hood outfit," he added, leering at Bella's legs.

Bella looked down at the fishnet tights under a short flouncy skirt. "Yeah, right. So not me," she muttered.

"I think you look great," Jessica said.

Bella took another sip, wincing as the fiery black fluid went down her throat, then another. "Sorry, can't finish this," she said.

But Mike wasn't paying attention. He had put an arm above Jessica's shoulder, pinning her to the wall. Jessica was leaning under his arm, smiling up at him adoringly. Bella took that as a cue to go inside.

 _Yuck. He's been working on her forever. She teases but he never gets anywhere. Now I'll probably need a ride home, preferably from someone sober. Wonder if Angela's here?_

Once she was in the doorway, she put her drink down on the console table under a mirror in the entrance hallway and went to look for a Coke.

Inside, the main hallway that opened into the living room was dark, and the music was loud enough to have a physical presence. People stood around, talking, drinking and laughing. Surprisingly, she could tell who some of the masked costumed party-goers were. Eric was obvious and so were some of her other classmates. She admired the costumes, picking out the usual witches, spooks, and occasional Hilary Clinton and Donald Trump. Several Donald Trumps, actually. One with a particularly poor fitting wig gave her a wolf whistle. She gritted her teeth and gave him a finger wave.

There were also several really tall, built kids with dark skin and black hair. Must be from the Rez.

"Hey," a familiar voice said right next to her, startling her.

She turned quickly and nearly fell. A strong arm caught her. "Jake," she said with relief. She looked at his costume. "Lone Ranger?" 

"Yeah, well, it only required a white shirt and mask," he answered. "I was kind of saving the shirt for Prom, but whatever."

"You look good," she replied. He did, too. He was enormous, and his biceps were bulging under the long white sleeves of his shirt. "Hey, when's the last time I saw you?" she replied. "You know, steroids aren't a good thing…"

"Just filling out," Jacob replied. "If you saw me more often, the change wouldn't be as obvious.

He had a red plastic cup in his hand. Uh-oh, if that was the punch, he wouldn't be her ride home.

"So what's that?" she asked, motioning to his drink. "Any good?"

"Yeah, it's heavy firewater." He laughed, draining it. "I'll get a refill and grab you one as well."

"Already had one," she said, her face screwing up at the memory. "Taste had me yakking. It's too strong. See if they have any Coke."

"Sure," he replied as he disappeared into the crowd.

"Just Coke, Jake," she said.

"All right," he yelled back.

She looked around for a place to sit and get out of these shoes. She knew she had to keep them on until the photo of the costume at the party, but pulling them off just for a moment would be OK. Should she wait for Jessica or ask Jake to take a photo when he got back?

She felt a little woozy. And that was from one drink which she hadn't finished. She really was a lightweight in the booze department. Still, with Charlie as sheriff, she didn't want to get caught and have to undergo not only his breathalyzer and but also his lecture.

She walked back out to the front porch, hoping to get Jessica to take a photo of her with Mike. No sign of Jessica or Mike, but Jess's car was still there. Mike's Chevy Suburban was gone though. Going to need that ride home for sure.

When she went back inside, she could see Jake coming with the drinks and decided she wasn't ready to deal with him. She ducked into a corner, feeling a little guilty for abandoning him. But really, he was younger than she was and wore his crush for her on his sleeve.

As she turned, she ran into what felt like a brick wall but smelled like smoke from a bonfire. "Whoops, sorry," she said to the wall. "Hey, it's OK," said a familiar voice. "Jake, she's over here."

Seth. When had he gotten so big? He was Harry Clearwater's kid, and she was sure he hadn't looked that big at the bonfire she had attended with Jake on First Beach last May.

A witch with a lot of visible bust grabbed Bella's arm, whirling her around and nearly causing her to lose her balance. "Hey, the costume looks good, but let's rearrange these laces, OK?" Lauren's voice, and Lauren's fingers in her…cleavage?"

"I can do that," Bella replied.

"I got Kleenex," Lauren said. "It's all just props."

"Not my thing," Bella said. She had been tempted to add some Kleenex to the costume, though, as she got dressed in the bathroom.

The music boomed so loud it felt like the floor was shaking.

"Where are Tyler's parents?" she asked Lauren.

"Seattle, a couple's weekend," Lauren replied. "We got the house until Monday," she sang. An arm snaked around Lauren's waist.

"All weekend, for me and my lovely witch," Tyler's familiar husky voice stated.

That's when she saw them. Outlined against the window. They were alone, just like at school. Probably had expensive costumes, though she could only see their silhouettes. A very curvy woman, dressed in a mermaid style dress, wearing a witch's hat; a big guy, dressed in a suit; a tall guy, couldn't tell what he had on; and a short girl, with short hair sticking out from under horns. But there were only four. Where was number five?

A husky voice whispered in her ear, "May I have this dance?" sending shivers to her very being.

Jasper Hale. The dreamy Jasper Hale, the fifth Cullen kid, Rosalie Hale's brother.

Bella shivered again, nearly falling out of her one-inch heels. Jasper took her arm, helping restore her balance. She looked over at the silhouettes. Both the Cullen girls were balancing on six inch heels.

"Thanks," she said. Though it came out as a croak. "But I don't dance."

"It's easy. Just follow me." Jasper pulled her forward, closer to him as he led her to the dance floor. The area around them cleared automatically. How did that happen? It was as if the others pulled away from these beautiful kids.

"The music's kind of loud," Bella half-shouted to Jasper.

"I noticed," he said. "Want to go outside?"

She nodded. Maybe she wanted that drink after all.

"OK," she said. Then stopped. She was just so sleepy and her legs felt like Jell-O. "Can we sit down for a few minutes?"

She saw one of the silhouettes detach himself from the window and felt things were getting hazy. Her legs felt really wobbly. The heck with it, she was taking off these shoes.

"Just a sec," she mumbled, the words slurring. She bent down to take off the shoes and almost fell. She felt someone lifting her and she reached down to make sure her short skirt was in place.

"Honey," Jasper asked gently. "Did you take anything?"

"Me? No, just had one drink." Just sleepy. Still, she felt she could lie here forever.

Something smelled wonderful, all cinnamon and musk, like a hot afternoon in the sun. Must be Jasper's aftershave.

"Hey, get away from her!" She heard Jake's voice from a distance.

"Jake, you're too young for me," she slurred out, pushing hard to focus on the tall Lone Ranger who had just reappeared. Why did her throat feel so thick?

Jake looked like he had been slapped. "I hope you know what you're getting into," he mumbled, turning away and leaving a Coke on the table.

Xxx

So, thank you for reading! I'll be posting Part II soon.

Please leave a review. I will send a preview of the next chapter to all reviewers. Geezerwench has a great story going by the way, titled "The Girl I Left Behind." It's a crossover with Star Trek. Check it out!


	2. Costume Issues, Chapter 2

Happy Halloween! It's time, it's time! Time for some little Halloween truffles, a few two-fers.

All credit for characters and setting to the amazing Stephenie Meyer, of course. She creates, I play.

Thanks to GeezerWench for the prompts and my amazing beta, EdwardsMate4Ever.

Costume Issues – Chapter 2

" _Hey, get away from her!" She heard Jake's voice from a distance._

" _Jake, you're too young for me," she slurred out, pushing hard to focus on the tall Lone Ranger who had just reappeared. Why did her throat feel so thick?_

 _Jake looked like he had been slapped. "I hope you know what you're getting into," he mumbled, turning away and leaving a Coke on the table._

"Where did you leave your drink?" Jasper whispered urgently in her ear. "Tell me."

He sounded so far away. It was all just too much trouble. "On the table under the mirror in the entryway," she said.

She felt a breeze. Someone passed someone something.

Then she felt a light slap on her face and someone forcing her eyes open. A bright light shone and burned her eyes. She shook her head, blinking, trying to pull away.

"Did you take something?" a man's voice asked. "I need you to tell me if you're on anything."

"Of course not," she declared, though her tongue felt thick.

"I think you've been drugged…" Whatever the speaker was saying, his voice was coming from too far away and she fell into darkness.

The next thing she knew she was in bed. Not her own, though. She was lying on something soft under scratchy sheets that smelled of astringent. Must be a hospital.

She thought she heard Charlie's voice saying, "Thank you, Dr. Cullen."

She tried to call out, "Dad," but she wasn't sure the words made it into the air. They seemed stuck on her thick tongue, behind too heavy lips.

xxx

Bella woke up for real the next day. As she sat up, Charlie put down the newspaper he was reading. He was sitting next to her bed, an all too familiar position with all her hospitalizations over the years. "You OK?" he asked.

"What happened?" she asked, patting herself to find her injury. "Did I trip?"

"No," Charlie replied. "One of the Cullen kids saw you stumbling around right after just you got to the party. They thought it seemed odd and called their Dad. He checked you and suspected you'd been given a roofie. They drove you to the hospital to run blood tests and called me. You slept through most everything."

"Did I throw up on anyone?" Bella asked.

"Well, yes, I believe you did," Charlie replied. "But I wouldn't worry about it. They brought you here because they thought you were drugged, after all."

"Which one?" She closed her eyes, her heart beating. Not Jasper, not Jasper. But she knew it probably was him.

"I don't remember his name, but when I saw him at the hospital, he was wearing regular shirt and not a costume. The blond one, James?" 

"Jasper." She closed her eyes. Of course she got sick on the cute one.

Her eyes sprang open as she remembered being rude to Jake. "Where's my cell phone?" she asked. "I gotta call Jake."

Charlie opened the nightstand by the bed and pulled it out. "Is something wrong? Do I need to call Billy?"

Bella leaned forward to take the phone, shaking her head. "No, I said something stupid to him, and I feel bad," she replied, pulling up Jacob's number and pushing call.

Billy answered on the third ring. "He can't come to the phone right now, Bella."

"Oh c'mon, Billy," Bella replied. "I said something to him that wasn't nice, but, well, I'd had a few drinks. And been drugged, but it wasn't supposed to be me."

"What?" Billy said.

"The Cullens got me out OK," she said. "I'm not supposed to say anything, but we think Mike did it. Where's Jessica?"

"The Cullens?" Billy seemed focused on that name. "They helped you?"

"Yeah. They called their father, Dr. Cullen, and brought me to the hospital."

"Interesting," Billy said. "I'll give Jacob the message."

She was discharged at noon and Charlie drove her home. Her truck was already in the driveway. One of the Cullens had picked it up from where she had parked it at Jessica's, driven it to their house, and left the keys in their mailbox. As far as Charlie was concerned, the Cullen kids were saints. "A credit to their parents," he told Bella.

On Sunday, still no phone call from Jake. She drove out to the Rez in the afternoon, planning to apologize in person but was met at the door by his father, Billy Black.

"I'm sorry, Bella," Billy said when he came to the door, "but Jake has mono. He can't see anyone right now."

"Will you give him this?" Bella handed him a note she had written.

Billy nodded his head and took the note. "I'll make sure he gets it," he told her in his gravelly voice.

"Tell him to call me, okay?" she said as she turned to leave.

Billy nodded and closed the screen door.

Jake wasn't the only MIA after the party. As of Monday morning, no one had seen Mike since Saturday morning. Charlie had gone out to have an official chat with Mike the day after Bella went home from the hospital, but wasn't able to. His mother said he had left Saturday morning to go hiking at Goat Rocks. When he wasn't back by Sunday night, she filed a missing person report. Several search parties were looking for him.

Edward Cullen had found Bella's cup at the party and brought it to the hospital. Charlie sent it and its contents to a forensics lab for fingerprinting and tox screening. When the initial forensics came back, they showed that the only fingerprints on the cup were Bella's, Jessica's and Mike's. Jessica said she had a good time at the party but was a little foggy on the details, which she attributed to the punch. She didn't think she had been drugged.

Monday at school, Bella found Jasper waiting for her outside her classroom. She felt like the whole school was staring at them as they walked down the hall. The original odd couple.

"Thanks for rescuing me, but you don't have to stay with me, you know," she said to him as they walked to her math class.

"What if I told you that meeting you rescued me?" he teased.

She blushed, ducking away from him. He put one finger under her chin and turned her face up toward his. "I love your blush," he said. "It's so charming."

For her part, Bella loved studying his eyes. There were fascinating as they changed from ochre to black to ochre. That was weird, but she felt she could read his moods in them.

And his smell was intoxicating. She wondered what the aftershave was.

On Tuesday, she left her hoodie in her locker on purpose to see if he would put his jacket over her shoulders. Her ruse worked, and she slept with her prize that night, burying her face in its scent.

By Wednesday, Jasper was riding home with Bella after school, with his brother Emmett driving behind to take him home.

Everything was going so fast. She wasn't used to getting this kind of attention, but Jasper seemed so sincere. Charlie was home early Wednesday night and Bella saw him watching through the kitchen window as Jasper climbed out of her truck and into Emmett's.

"He seems interested," Charlie commented as she walked into the kitchen.

"Yeah, I kind of like him too."

"He's a good kid, but you need to be careful," Charlie said.

"We're taking it slow," Bella replied, though it wasn't true. She was head over heels in love.

Thursday, Halloween arrived. The excitement level in school was high. Most of the kids were wearing some kind of costume, and most of the teachers seemed to have given up on any kind of productive classroom sessions. They were loading on homework for Monday to make up for it.

To add to the general Halloween spirit, a pack of noisy wolves had moved into the area. There were eerie howls all night and even occasionally during the day. The deputies who were searching for Mike on Goat Rocks reported seeing unusually large tracks in the forest during their search and hearing wolves nearby.

She asked Jasper about the wolves, and he said he had heard them but hadn't seen them. He asked questions about Charlie's search for Mike, though. He told Bella that he and his brothers had hiked Goat Rocks often, and there were steep cliffs where a lone hiker could have fallen.

When she met Jasper after school on Halloween, she could feel a very different tension in the air.

He looked worried, though glad to see her, as he got into her truck for the drive home. After driving a few blocks with Emmett following, Jasper asked her to turn off and pull over.

Once she turned off the motor, he turned to her and said, "If I asked you to leave with me, would you?"

"Right now?" she said.

"Yes, right now." Taking her hand, he leaned across the cab. His eyes were so intense, and that scent...all rational thought left her mind. He reached up to stroke her hair, smiling.

"Um, OK," she said. How could she say no?

"Things are happening," he said, glancing around. "My family can't stay here any longer. But I can't leave without you."

"I need to talk to Charlie," Bella said.

"You can call him from the hotel later," Jasper replied.

They got out of her truck and into the Emmett's car. Once she was buckled in, Emmett leaned back and gave her a grin. "Take any drinks from anybody else lately, Bella?"

"Cut it out," Jasper snapped.

"Alice will drive your car. I just want you next to me." In a daze, she saw Alice appear at her window, so she handed Alice the keys to her Chevy.

Bella thought she heard Alice say, "Go on. I'll take care of it and catch up."

"Let me tell you a story," Jasper began, his arm around her. "Once upon a time, in Texas in 1860, there was a boy who fibbed about his age to go to war…"

She snuggled up against him, letting him pull her close. She listened as he recounted an amazingly detailed story about a boy growing up in Texas and joining the Confederate Army, while watching the trees outside the car window growing steeper and closer to the car.

They must be going up into the mountains. Where were they going? She couldn't remember any hotels up this road. As long as she was locked into his arms, she didn't really care.

She heard a wolf howl behind them, then another, but the sound died out as the car sped into the growing darkness.

She was almost asleep in his arms when she heard him whisper, "Sorry, but I need you with me, more than you can know," and felt a sharp bite on her neck.

The End

Xx

So, thank you for reading! I'll be posting the next story soon. Bella wanders into a maze…think of the possibilities!

I appreciate all of the feedback and reviews I've received so far.

Please leave a review and I will send a preview of the next chapter to all reviewers.


	3. A-Mazing, Chapter 1

A-Mazing

Happy Halloween! It's time, it's time! Time for some little Halloween truffles, a few two-fers.

All credit for characters and setting to the amazing Stephenie Meyer, of course. She creates, I play.

Thanks to GeezerWench for the prompts and my amazing beta, EdwardsMate4Ever.

A-Mazing – Chapter 1

Bella hated mazes. And what the heck? Why would they have one out here in Forks, Washington?

But she had to hand it to the organizers, primarily a group of enterprising guys from several of the local high schools. This maze was different. It had been constructed out of…lots of stuff. It was unique.

This maze wasn't made of corn rows like the autumn mazes of the Midwest or hedge rows like the permanent mazes from mansions and hotels (as in the movie The Shining). Here, ropes hung with blankets or sheets had been strung between trees in parts of the maze, and various materials such as boxes and old furniture had been hauled in to build the walls in other places. Or, at least, as much she could see as she drove up. Utilizing trees was smart. They were one thing Forks had a lot of on the edge of the city.

Bella shivered as she got out of the car, remembering how Angela had talked her into coming out here during lunch hour that day. "I'll probably fall on my face in there. You know, trip over a root or something," Bella had grumbled.

"It'll be fun, "Angela said. "Please? I don't want to go alone."

Angela and Eric had been on the skids for the past few week, which meant Bella got more Angela time, though she felt bad for the reason.

When she pulled into the turnoff from Bogachiel Way, back in the Forks boonies, she was greeted by a hand-lettered sign that read: "A-Mazing Maze. $5. Fund Raiser for Forks High School Band."

Well, so be it. At least this fund raiser didn't involve buying candy, a turkey, or getting a lousy car wash.

As soon as she got out, Bella slipped on the wet grass. She grabbed onto the side of her truck and barely escaped falling on her butt. The rain had let up, but the ground was still slippery. What was it going to be like inside those temporary walls? She could picture herself bringing down the blanket walls of each section as she passed and grabbed on to keep her balance.

She exhaled and squared her shoulders. How bad could a maze be? She'd find Angela, go through it, and leave.

Bella saw Mr. Weber's car alongside of the road but didn't see Angela. She was running late, so maybe Angela had gone in without her. Shrugging her shoulders against the cold, she got in line.

Bella didn't know any of the kids immediately ahead of her in line, but she joked with a red-head directly in front of her about leaving a string to find her way out. The girl replied, "Why would you want to leave?"

Okay then. No chattering in line.

Every group waited five minutes for their turn to enter the maze. Bella saw flasks and cans of beer being pulled from deep within bulky winter jackets and consumed, easing the wait time.

The thought of drinking a cold beer made her feel cold. She shivered again, pulling up her hood and stamping her feet a few times to warm up.

Finally, it was her turn to go in. Once inside, she had to admit it was kind of fun. Whoever had set up the maze had been creative. There were also mini-pumpkins that could be decorated for $1 donation in a basket. The guests were adding to the fun, leaving notes for one another. There were scrawled sayings, "Ryan, take three lefts and a right," etc. pinned to the blanket walls, using paper, markers and clothespins left in a box by the entrance.

She left a note for Angela, saying, "Angie, sorry I was late. Went in at 6:15 – B."

Bella followed the directions about "three lefts and a right" and found an overstuffed chair under an awning. Two jack-o-lanterns stood in front of the chair. One had a happy face made with round circles, the other a scary face, made with triangles and a slash for a mouth. Plopping down on the seat, Bella quickly learned the awning hadn't been enough to keep out the Forks drizzle. The cushion was damp. Now she had a wet butt. Yuck.

Bella sat for another moment anyway, wondering if Angela would pass by. She heard the next group coming in, two guys and a girl.

"Hi," she said to them.

"Looking for company?" one of the guys asked.

"Not supposed to sit alone, loser," the girl hissed as she walked past, clutching the tall guy's hand.

"Leave her alone," her escort said. "She's got enough trouble, obviously."

They snickered and ran off as she got up, wondering if her coat would cover her wet rear end.

Bella could hear the sound of laughter and the occasional sound of a beer can's fizz as it was opened from all around her. Everybody was having a good time. Except her.

Where was Angela?

She decided to give it five more minutes. She walked along, making her way down the makeshift hallways lined with comforters, sheets, and cardboard. There were jack-o-lanterns at about every third turn.

Someone had put a lot of work into this maze, carving all those jack-o-lanterns. Too bad it was still light outside so the candles weren't lit. It would have been nice to see details of the intricate carvings.

As she walked, Bella could hear rustlings, scrapings, and occasionally the weird feeling that someone or something had moved past too quickly for her to see.

The organizers must have found some kind of special effects. She looked up in the branches for the equipment but couldn't see anything. It was getting darker. Aside from the rustlings, she hadn't heard voices in a few minutes. How far had she come?

She yelled out, "Hey. Anyone nearby?"

No answer. Just the drip of water from the trees.

She pulled a barrette from her hair and clipped it to a red blanket. She could swear she had seen this tree before. Then she heard whispers and a spooky giggle nearby. It was reassuring to know she wasn't alone. Right?

At the next turn, the jack-o-lantern was lit. It displayed a scene of a witch flying across a full moon.

Bella decided enough was enough. She was going to just walk out in a straight line. She lifted a purple quilt just like the one in her bedroom and found a rock wall. _No cheating in this row, I guess._

Wait. Where was this wall? She didn't remember a stone wall back in this area. She poked at it. No moss so it must be new.

 _Oh well. That's what you get for not hiking the area_.

She followed the maze a few more turns. No barrette on a red blanket, but more lit jack-o-lanterns. This time, a Frankenstein face and a scary cat.

After a few more turns, she saw the barrette on a branch, right at eye level where she couldn't miss it.

Someone was messing with her. "That's not funny," Bella yelled. "Alright you meatheads, joke's over. Cut it out." Who was doing this? Mike or Tyler?

At the next fork in the maze, the maze wall next to the tree was made of boxes. She shoved aside the soggy cardboard and stumbled backward in fear. Behind it was that same stack of rocks as a few minutes ago.

The rocks hadn't been behind cardboard before. They had been behind a purple comforter. Who could have moved them without her hearing?

Bella felt her stomach churn with fear and started running, which was hard in the growing darkness. She stumbled and kept her balance by clutching at tree trunks and branches. Thank heavens for gloves and thick jeans or she would have cut herself fifteen times by now. She had that same feeling that someone or something had flashed by her two or three more times. She screamed when she felt something cold touch her.

But she didn't see anyone. Just felt a breeze and smelled a scent. A nice scent, actually. Someone who'd been in here before her had been wearing a great aftershave.

She turned another corner and there it was. That chair she had sat in at the beginning of the maze. Or one that looked like it. They must be from a living room set.

 _I need to catch my breath and decide on a plan_. She lowered herself into the chair gingerly and reached into her coat pocket for her phone. Charlie would put an end to this in no time.

But her hands found nothing. No phone? She patted both her pockets then stood up and patted her jeans. Tearing off her gloves, she probed her pockets again and again, tears forming in her eyes from frustration. How long had she been out here? Not long enough for him to worry about her, she was sure.

"Hello?" she called out into the twilight. Her quavering voice didn't sound very strong.

"Yes?" said a male voice.

"Over here," she said with relief.

The blanket with the rocks behind it was lifted and a face surrounded by a shaggy mane of blond hair appeared from behind it.

"Need assistance?" he asked with a drawl.

Jasper. It was Jasper from school. One of the doctor's kids. He was all right, surely.

Xxxx

So, thank you for reading! I'll be posting the next chapter soon. Anybody wanna wander into this A-Mazing Maze with Bella?

Please leave a review. Reviews keep my jack-o-lantern smiling! I'll send a preview of the next chapter to all reviewers.

I started posting a Halloween _Halloween, the Movie, Twilight Style_ last night. It will be updated daily through Halloween. It's a wacky take-off on Halloween (the original movie). Anybody remember that one? Check it out!


	4. A-Mazing, Chapter 2

Happy Halloween! It's time, it's time! Time for some little Halloween truffles, a few two-fers.

All credit for characters and setting to the amazing Stephenie Meyer, of course. She creates, I play.

Thanks to GeezerWench for the prompts and to my amazing beta, EdwardsMate4Ever.

A-Mazing – Chapter 2

 _The blanket with the rocks behind it was lifted and a face surrounded by a shaggy mane of blond hair appeared from behind it._

" _Need assistance?" he asked with a drawl._

 _Jasper. It was Jasper from school. One of the doctor's kids. He was all right, surely._

"Hi," Bella said. "I thought I was stuck out here alone."

"Nope, not alone," Jasper said as he stepped out from under the blanket and stood up.

Had he always been this tall? She had only seen him across the lunchroom and in the hallways.

Bella looked down at her lap as she pulled her gloves back on, getting ready to stand up, relieved to have some company.

"This maze is longer than I thought," she told him. He reached out and took her hand, pulling her to her feet.

"It goes on a piece," he replied. "How much of it have you seen?"

Once she was standing, she withdrew her hand from his grasp, thinking he seemed reluctant to let it go.

"Enough. More than enough," she replied. "I'm ready to go home."

"Have you seen jack-o-lantern row?"

"I've seen a few jack-o-lanterns," Bella said. "Someone's done a lot of work."

"I did some of these," he said, gesturing to an elaborate scene of a carriage in front of a full moon.

"Wow, nice work."

"Sure you won't come have a look?" he asked, leaning in and exhaling. He was close enough to kiss. She blinked, feeling, what was the word for this? Dazed. Whatever, it was making her forget how cold and afraid she was.

"Um, okay. Sure, I can stay out here a few minutes longer." Her knees were wobbly.

Jasper put his hand in the small of her back. "Careful, there are tree roots everywhere."

"Yeah, I tripped on over half of them," Bella replied.

He slipped his arm around her waist and pulled a flashlight out of his pocket.

As they walked together, she relaxed. The maze wasn't so bad when you had company. Surprisingly, the maze was now lit. Light glowed from candles and occasionally from twinkle lights strung along the lower halves of trees.

Concentrating on Jasper's arm around her waist, she didn't really look where they were going or think about how far they had traveled as they walked. Sometimes they stopped for a few minutes, admiring one of the jack-o-lanterns.

"Another Frankenstein," she said. This one was in profile.

Jasper crouched gracefully next to the glowing pumpkin, switching off the flashlight so the pumpkin's flickering candle was the only light in the aisle. "Yeah, he's kind of a theme with us, I guess. He started as a human or several humans, and he was made into a monster."

The wind blew over her face and damp spots on her jeans, setting off her shivers again. Jeepers, but it was cold. Jasper noticed and said, "Can you stand the chill just a little longer? There are heat lamps ahead."

"OK," she said, "but I have to be heading home soon. Charlie, that's my Dad, is going to get home and wonder where I am."

"Right over here," Jasper said, nodding toward the next turn.

As they made the turn, past a tree with a few crows dangling from the branches, Bella saw a brighter light ahead of them.

"And here we are," Jasper said, making another turn.

In front of them was a charming gazebo with heat lamps next to it. The gazebo's lacy woodwork was strung with orange twinkle lights.

Jasper reached up to turn on one of the heat lamps. "It'll be toasty in a few minutes." He stepped up on the gazebo as she stared at the lamp, worrying despite herself that the heat might ignite the wood.

She paused on the first step to look more closely at the jack-o-lantern. It was a profile, a girl with long hair and…"Wait, is that me?" she exclaimed.

"Um, yes," Jasper said. "Just a profile. Do you like it?"

"I'm just surprised, that's all," she replied, staring at the flickering profile. It was her nose all right, but the hair seemed fuller. "Where did you get the photo?"

"I carved it from memory," he said, stepping back down from the gazebo to stand directly behind her. Bella could feel his breath on her neck. She shivered and he slid his hands around her waist, pulling her closer to him. "I think about you a lot," he whispered.

"Why?" she blurted out.

"Don't you feel it?" he asked.

She did feel something, like his arms around her waist and his breath on her neck. It was making her dizzy and dazed. She shook her head to clear it and pulled away from him. "What's on the table?"

In the center of the gazebo was a table, covered with a black tablecloth and silver dishes.

"Oh, just some snacks for anybody who made it this far," Jasper replied, taking her hand and leading her up the steps.

He pulled off the dish covers. The largest held pasta in a white sauce. Steam rose from the pan as he pulled off the lid. A warm scent of pasta and something creamy made Bella's mouth water. Dishes on either side held bread and chocolate brownies.

"This is for anybody who made it this far?" she asked.

"Well, no," Jasper replied. "My sister Alice set this table up for us. Before setting up the table, they put up a blanket cutting off the maze behind us."

"Why?" Bella asked, flattered and confused.

"Alice has been telling me to introduce myself to you at school, but you're always with your friends and I didn't want to interrupt." Jasper ladled up a generous helping of pasta onto a plate and handed it to her.

This admission stunned Bella. She didn't know how to answer, so she decided to talk about the food instead. "This might be the wrong time to say this, but I'm vegetarian," Bella said, plate. "But it looks great."

"It's mushroom ravioli," Jasper replied. "I noticed you never had ate anything 'carnivorous' in the school cafeteria."

"Um, thanks," Bella replied. He had been watching her that closely? Sounded stalker-ish. Kind of cool and romantic, but also kind of scary.

Jasper pulled out two folding chairs from behind the table. "Have a seat?" he asked, setting one in front of her.

She sat, holding her plate in her lap. Jasper moved the plate holding the brownies to one side and scooted the table in front of her.

"Aren't you having something?" she asked as she set her plate on the table.

"Special diet, but I'll cheat with one of your ravioli, if you don't mind," he said, holding a fork out.

"Sure," she replied. He speared a ravioli and slipped it in his mouth.

She ate one too, closing her eyes to enjoy its warmth and savor the flavor. "Wow, that's good," she said. "Did you like yours?"

"Yes. Unaccustomed, but flavorful." He kept a straight face as he spoke, though, not looking as if he were enjoying anything.

She finished her plate, mostly for the warmth, then mopped up the remaining sauce with a piece of the Italian bread.

"Good?" Jasper asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Great." She took a brownie and looked up at the twinkling lights. "It's getting really late, I should be getting home."

It was raining now, so she was sure that everyone else had left the maze. They were protected on their gazebo, the sound of the raindrops on the roof soothing.

"Let's just sit and enjoy the moment a bit longer, shall we?" Jasper said, pulling his chair closer and putting his arm around her shoulders.

They sat comfortably, looking out at the rain falling beyond the orange lights.

"I could stay here forever, though we might need to put in a better heating system," she said after a few minutes. How long had they been here anyway? It was full dark. Had she really been in here an hour? Or longer? Charlie would be getting worried. She wondered if Angela had called the house looking for her when they didn't meet up at the maze.

"Heat. That's something I miss sometimes," Jasper whispered.

He stroked her cheek. His finger felt cold and hard on her skin, like he was using his fingernail. She reached up and touched his hand and was startled. His hand was not only cold, it was hard and smooth, like a marble statue.

She froze.

"You can feel it, can't you?" he asked, bending in closer to her face.

If I touch his face, will it feel like his hand? she wondered.

As if reading her thoughts, he lifted her hand to his cheek. "What are you thinking?" he asked.

"Um, you feel different, if you don't mind my saying so," she mumbled, confused. Did he have some kind of skin condition? Something told her this wasn't a human affliction. Fear started spreading across her body, clenching the muscles in her stomach and chest, setting her on edge. Suddenly a flush of relaxation ran through her, unclenching her muscles, putting her at ease despite herself as Jasper stared into her eyes.

"That isn't all you're thinking, though, now is it?" he asked.

"You know what I'm thinking?" she asked him.

Jasper sighed. "More like I know what you're feeling," he replied, taking her hand off his cheek and putting it on his lap. He put his other hand on his face, scrubbing it as if thinking. Or trying to wash away a thought.

"And you can change what I'm feeling," she stated.

"You are observant," he said, looking back at her. "In answer, yes, I can influence emotions. I've been able to ever since I died."

 _Died?!_ "And how am I feeling?" she asked, nervous, but wanting to engage him.

"You have a mix of fear, curiosity, and a touch of attraction."

"A touch?" she blurted out.

"A bit more," he admitted.

She blushed. "You were being gentlemanly."

"That's how I was raised. A long time ago…" he said, his voice dropping off at the end.

"How long ago?" _He makes it sound like it was more than fifteen years. And what was that about monsters and being made of several humans, anyway? And being dead?_

He stared at her thoughtfully, then ran one cold finger down her face.

"If I tell you, there's no going back," he said, leaning forward, capturing her with his eyes.

"I want to hear," she said.

He leaned in closer, so that his lips hovered over hers. The sweet scent of his breath made her feel weak and alive at the same time.

"No going back," he said.

"I don't want to," she replied.

"You can't imagine how long I've been waiting to hear those words," he said, touching her lips with his.

It was like being kissed by a statue. His lips moved but were stony and cold. Bella didn't care and set out to warm them with her own. She put her hands on his shoulders, then slipped them around his neck.

He pulled her close.

From the corner of her eye, she saw blue and red lights flashing somewhere in the distance, and heard Charlie's voice through a bullhorn, calling "Bella. Bella?"

The sweet scent of Jasper's breath overwhelmed her, and she felt herself sinking deep as cold arms lifted her and fled into the darkness.

THE END

xxx

So, thank you for reading!

I appreciate all of the feedback and reviews I've received so far.

Please leave a review. Reviews keep my jack-o-lantern smiling! Happy Halloween!

I'm posting a Halloween drabble now through Halloween called _Halloween, the movie- Twilight style_. A wacky take-off on Halloween (the original movie). Anybody remember that one? Please stop by and check it out.


	5. The Last Bookstore, Chapter 1

The Last Bookstore

Happy Halloween! It's time, it's time! Time for some little Halloween truffles, a few two-fers.

All credit for characters and setting to the amazing Stephenie Meyer, of course. She creates, I play.

Chapter 1 – Seeing and Losing

October 24th

Another college weekend, Southern California this time. What made her parents think she would want to go to USC anyway? But then, why wouldn't they? It wasn't like she was a stranger to California. Her mother had grown up in Downy, and she had Bella had lived in both Downy and Riverside when she was young. The school guidance counselor/principal (in a town the size of Forks, one person wore many hats) thought there was a chance of a scholarship, so Bella was visiting USC and a few other campuses.

Bella remembered California. It had sun, not as much as Phoenix, but it was better than Forks. But to live here? So many palm trees and so much Hollywood. She wasn't sure.

But her parents had insisted she check it out. And as long as she was in town, she had a list of Must-See Bookstores. Which included the Last Bookstore in downtown Los Angeles. It was on the red line subway, so she could get there easily from the USC campus.

The USC campus had been amazing. Large buildings, both modern and classical brick, yet organized and laid out she could easily get around. And the students-well, many looked rather well off. Almost like in Phoenix. She shuddered, remembering all the snooty rich kids in Phoenix. On the other hand, she had been able to lose herself in the enormous high school in Phoenix. She didn't attract attention, which was fine.

She was finishing high school in Forks, though, not Phoenix. What a change. Forks High had less than 400 students in the entire school. Bella had spent weeks as the center of attention when she transferred. She'd made a few friends quickly, though. More friends then she had in Phoenix. She knew Angela and the others would be waiting to hear about her experiences.

As for the Last Bookstore, it had surpassed her expectations. It was filled with what she could only call book art or book sculpture. Murals made of books, peek holes in stacks, and a walk-in safe containing mystery and crime novels. The checkout counters were made of stacks of books and she had even walked through a book tunnel! She'd spent an hour exploring before looking at any individual books.

Now, browsing in the stacks, she saw a sign for an upcoming book signing. It was for the hot new YA book, _Life and Death_. She'd heard of it, even in Fork, and thought it sound-well, melodramatic. What else was there to write about? That title 'bout covered it all.

She picked up the book. It was huge. As she flipped through it, she noticed the page orientation reversed around the midway point. Misprint? She turned it over and saw it was two books. Clever. Two books for one.

She sensed someone next to her as a musky, sweet scent filled the air.

Closing her eyes, she inhaled the amazing cologne, letting the notes roll over her. When she opened her eyes, no one was there. She peeked around the stacks, but only saw a girl at the far end. She couldn't shake the felling that someone had been next to her; someone who had come and gone too quickly to see.

That's when she noticed. Her backpack was gone. Damn. She had only looked away for a second and she'd been robbed. She patted the purse she wore on her shoulder. It was still fastened and she kept her cash there. She still felt violated. Bookstores were supposed to be safe.

So much for her purchases. She'd have to replace the books in her backpack.

She walked up to the front to report the theft and pulled up short, stunned. There it was. Her back pack was on the counter.

Bella picked it up and looked inside. "Excuse me," she said to the bearded guy behind the counter who was going through a box of books. He looked up. "Do you know where this came from?"

He shook his head.

"I mean, it's mine," Bella said, "but I looked away and it was gone."

"Probably some good Samaritan dropped it off," the employee said. "Book people watch out for one another." He smiled and went back to sorting the box of books.

Bella returned his smile, though she wasn't feeling it. She watched him for a minute, wondering about all the books. Whose were they? Where would they go next?

Before leaving the counter, she did a quick inventory of the backpack contents. Most of her stuff was still there. Only her red blouse was missing. Crap. Renee had given that to her.

Before leaving, she refiled her stack of books. As she exited, she put out her arms and stretched, soaking in the evening sun. The buildings lining the street were like canyons above her, and the heat reflected off of the sidewalk, even this late in October. This area was part crazy town. It had a bohemian feel, buildings rising and decaying all around. The stale smell of old urine mixed with the smell of churros from a small shop. Someone must be trying to develop the area, but the results were spotty.

The mentally disturbed homeless lining the sidewalks wailed or yelled to people no one else could see. People passed without giving them a second look. Two policemen on a corner were giving someone a ticket.

Bella hurried to get back on the subway and catch the bus for the airport. She had kept her trip short, just in and out, only having stayed one night.

She didn't have to wait long for the red line metro. The station in non-rush hour was well-it, but there weren't many people in the echo-ey platform. A whoosh of wind from the tunnel announced the train before she saw it.

When the doors open, she grabbed a seat, holding her backpack on her lap. A few other people got on. Only a few stops to Union Station.

She noticed that distinctive aftershave again. Stronger this time, even more powerful. She wanted to lose herself in it. This time she focused on the notes of the fragrance more closely. The scent was musky with hints of honey and sunshine on a hot dusky day outside. How had someone bottled sunshine?

One of the other passenger must be wearing it.

Glancing around, she tried to guess which one. She eliminated the women and a few homeless who looked unwashed. She narrowed it down to a tall guy standing to the side with his back to her. Wiry build, wearing a blue hoodie over jeans. Dang, she couldn't get a look at his face.

Funny, she hadn't remembered seeing him on the car when she boarded, but whatever. Big city. She would be glad to get out of here. Being robbed in the bookstore was definitely helping form her opinion of whether to live here or not. Not was winning.

She shivered and debated whether to get her book out for the short ride and decided against it, opting for staying alert. She'd already been robbed once. She clutched her backpack a little tighter to her chest.

The train slid to another stop then finally approached Union Station. The announcer took forever to announce the coming stop, but she knew she was there because all of the other passengers pushed off the train when the doors slid open. She looked around, hoping to see the face of the wiry guy from the corner, but didn't see him. He must have gotten off at the other end of the car.

Once on the platform, she saw someone wearing a hoodie going up the escalator, so she took the same escalator.

When she got to the top of the escalator, he was gone.

It wasn't like he had been enveloped in a crowd, as Union Station wasn't as busy as it had been when she arrived the day before. Yesterday morning, the cavernous halls of the Art Deco building had been filled with a stream of people. She hadn't had any trouble finding the subway as she'd been told to just "follow the people." It was good advice, as they had led her down the escalator to the red line platform.

She sighed. The guy must have ducked into a Starbucks or one of the other little shops in the corridor. Oh well. Her mystery man had vanished.

Bella followed signs to the bus port where she waited for the airport bus, taking a last look at the setting sun. She looked around a few times, having the curious sense she was being followed. Oddly, this didn't disturb her as much as it should have. She felt a sense of excitement, almost a yearning, from somewhere deep inside.

Must be jet lag, she thought. Soon she would be back home, in rainy Forks.

Xxx

So, another little story popped into my head, after all the book signing events recently. Bella in a book store.

I also have a little drabble going, called "Halloween, the movie-Twilight style," I'll be posting the final chapters on Halloween.

Please leave a review and let me know what you think. Hope you're having a great October. Tomorrow is Halloween!


	6. The Last Bookstore, Chapter 2

The Last Bookstore

Happy Halloween! It's time, it's time! Time for some little Halloween truffles, a few two-fers.

All credit for characters and setting to the amazing Stephenie Meyer, of course. She creates, I play.

Chapter 2 – Home, or Is It?

October 24th

After an amazing number of stops and transfers, the bus rolled into LAX. Looking at the other passengers struggling with enormous suitcases and carry-ons, Bella was glad she only had her backpack and purse.

As she entered LAX, all she could think was, _What a zoo_. She checked in for her Alaska Airlines flight and found the terminal.

Just to kill time, she strolled the terminal. Construction everywhere, but the food concessions still managed to churn out things to tempt bored travelers. The usual Hudson's bookstores. She remembered these from her flights from Seattle to Phoenix. . How could a bookstore have nothing of interest in it? She thought back to her earlier trip to that fascinating Last Bookstore. The Hudson's were soulless.

Which was probably the point. They were supposed to be standard and uniform, a concession, just like the McDonald's around the corner.

She sat in one of the chairs and indulged in a little people watching. Everybody else was going somewhere. Most looked happy; a few looked bored and a few more looked exhausted.

It made her wonder where she wanted to go. She wasn't sure about these California schools. Nothing had felt right to her.

Bella looked at the Alaska Airlines exhibits that lined the hallway. What about Alaska? She had read about colleges up there. The photos made the campus made it look just like Forks, though. Pine trees, etc. Except the words University of Alaska was painted on the road.

Now that would be a place with almost no sun for most of the year, and six months without a single sunrise. The school year would be during the majority of those six months. What an awful thought.

She really had no plans. A lot of the other kids had definite plans. Some planned to follow a parent's footsteps in wanting to be a minister or nurse, and while others chose a new path, wanted to go to the police academy or some such thing.

She felt…nothing. She wasn't going to let it worry her. College was billed as a time of self-discovery. But she was dreading it.

Bella shifted, looking around. She had the feeling of being followed since she arrived at the airport. She didn't know why. For once she was glad Charlie had insisted on picking her up at the airport. His uniform would put a stop to anyone following her.

Finally they called her flight and she lined up with the others. Airports, all about lines. Wasn't everything these days? She had heard people in that bookstore in Los Angeles talking about waiting in lines for hours to meet the author and get an autograph.

As she waited, she thought she got a whiff of that same aftershave. Looking around, she saw several tall, lanky guys. No blue hoodies. And most of them were either talking to tall, lanky girls or reading books. No one was staring at her.

Then she saw him. A guy wearing jeans and a blue hoodie. He was across the terminal, a long ways away. He'd been looking in her direction, she was sure of it.

But he couldn't be following her at that distance. Probably just gazing into space. Was she getting paranoid? Imagine adding that to the list of injuries she went to the E.R. for. She could just imagine future visit with Dr. Gerandy or Snow. After stitching up her latest cut, they would ask, casually of course, "So, anyone following you today?"

Just get on the plane. She shuffled from one foot to the other and made small talk with the woman standing next to her. This girl had a full size rolling bag and an enormous duffle too. Were they going to let her take all of that on board?

Finally they were all on the plane. She had managed to get a window seat, and she took full advantage of it, staring down at the blue ocean below as the plane took off. Closing her eyes, she tried to sleep, but the flight was too short.

As she exited the plane, she picked up a few notes of the same aftershave. This time, instead of making her nervous, she felt relieved to smell it. It had become something she needed.

Must be some new cologne. She'd check out the perfume counters, saying it was for a boyfriend, then buy a bottle, and she'd be set. No need for anyone else in her life to complicate. Just take a whiff of that scent whenever she felt like it.

Because that scent was now making her weak in the knees.

When she got to luggage claim, Charlie was there, waiting. She surprised them both by running to him. "Dad," she said, burying herself against his chest. _Nope, he wasn't wearing the cologne_. He just smelled like Charlie.

"Bella," he replied, his gruff voice sounding worried. "Did something happen in Los Angeles?"

"No, just glad to see you," she replied.

"Oh. OK," he said. That was Charlie. Not a talker, but clearly pleased she had been so glad to see him.

"So, anything happen while I was gone?"

"Mariners won," he said, grabbing her bag off the carousel. "I got it," he told her as she reached for it.

"Glad to hear it. Billy watch the game with you?" she asked. Her father and his friends were nothing if not reliable.

"Yeah, with Jacob, and Harry Clearwater's fish fry," Charlie replied.

That life was enough for him. It strengthened Bella's resolve to leave, but go where and do what?

Was there a place where one could study to design colognes? Because that scent was stuck in her head. She dubbed it "Mystery Man."

When they pulled into Forks, the tiny town felt smaller than ever. The place seemed dwarfed by the large trees scattered through the city and lining the hills. Bella went upstairs and sat on her bed, pulling off her shoes. She still felt restless and went to the window. Outside, the night was overcast but occasionally the moon broke through.

She flopped down on her bed, turned out the lights, and watched the shadows on the ceiling. She felt a tugging, a tugging toward…what? She didn't know. She never even undressed.

October 25th

The next morning Bella got up and went to take a shower. Looking in the mirror, she knew anyone seeing her would know she hadn't slept. Still, a little concealer and she'd be OK. OK enough for Forks.

At school, Angela chatted to her excitedly about her trip. What had she thought about the campuses, what were the student advisors like, had she liked the library, and so forth.

Lauren and Jessica tried not to be impressed she was considering going to school in Southern California. "So, which schools are you leaning toward?" Lauren asked. She'd never asked Bella before, only talked about her own plans for the University of Virginia.

"I'm still not sure," Bella replied truthfully. "I've got a few more to look at."

Bella caught Mike staring at her, not asking her anything. She was sure if Mike wanted to know if the USC girls were hot, without asking that question directly. She took pity on him. "So, yeah. I guess even though it's kind of warm, the kids still dress for the season," she said to Angela.

Mike's ears perked up.

"I mean," she told a puzzled Angela, "I could live in USC colors. I probably wouldn't run around with USC on my shorts like the girls I saw, though. Not in October."

Angela caught on and giggled. "What else were they wearing?"

"Oh some had those kind of thin sweaters," Bella replied casually. "The fake things, like we wore in Phoenix. They get sticky and cling when it gets too hot, though."

Both girls turned when they heard a thud. Yep, Mike had fallen out of his chair.

The lunchroom, which had gone silent after Mike's fall, erupted into laugher when he got up unhurt. Mike was mad, but turned it into a laugh himself.

Bella could read him so well. She knew he was fuming inside, for all the jokes and smiles he presented to the outside world.

Funny thing, but Bella thought she heard another laugh, coming from outside the cafeteria. Something deeper, entrancing. She looked but couldn't see anyone. It must be coming from the trees near campus.

"Did you hear that?" she asked Angela.

"Hear what?" Angela asked.

"Nothing. Just thought I heard…well, someone else laughing."

Angela always took her seriously. "Someone else from where?"

Bella looked back outside. "Out there."

Angela craned her neck. "I don't see anyone."

"Plenty of people in here, Bella," Lauren said. "What, no one's laugh in this room good enough? Need some California laughter?"

Jessica snickered.

It was going to be a long school year.

Xxx

Please leave a review and let me know what you think. Hope you had a great October.


	7. The Last Bookstore, Chapter 3

The Last Bookstore

Happy Halloween! It's time, it's time! Time for some little Halloween truffles, a few two-fers.

All credit for characters and setting to the amazing Stephenie Meyer, of course. She creates, I play.

Chapter 3 – The Ride Home

Since I'm really late in updating, here is a quick summary: The story starts in Los Angeles, on October 24th. Bella is in town to visit USC. While she's there, she checks out a bookstore, the Last Bookstore, and notices a signing for what she believes to be a hot new YA book, _Life and Death_. As she browses the stacks, she notices an amazing scent, a man's aftershave. She also picks it up on the train and in the airport. When she goes back to Forks, she feels like she's being followed. Here's the last few lines of the previous chapter, set in the Forks High School lunchroom.

" _Plenty of people in here, Bella," Lauren said. "What, no one's laugh in this room good enough? Need some California laughter?"_

 _Jessica snickered._

 _It was going to be a long school year._

After lunch, Angela walked Bella to her next class. "Are you OK?" Angela asked. "You look a little jet-lagged."

"Yeah, a bit. I'll be fine," Bella replied, pushing her hair out of her face. "The thing I really noticed, though, was this hot new cologne or aftershave." _And I'm craving it._

"Who was wearing it?" Angela asked. "Was he good-looking?"

"Funny thing, I never saw his face," Bella replied, "though he was close a few times."

Angela looked puzzled.

 _You have no idea what puzzled is_. "I first smelled it in the bookstore," Bella continued, "and then I also picked it up on the train."

"Oh, so he could have left around the store around the same time you did, right?"

"Probably," Bella replied. "Though it may just be the new hot cologne, and everybody bought it for their boyfriend. It's like, addictive."

"That would be a good name for a cologne, Addictive," Angela replied. "I can see the ads now, right?" She stretched her neck back, eyes closed. "The model could be in a breeze, posing in front of a sunset. Hot guy nearby."

They both laughed. "See you after school," Angela called over her shoulder.

"After school?"

"Yeah, you're coming over," Angela said, "Right?"

"Uh, sure."

"The social studies project," Angela prompted.

"Right," Bella said. "Sorry, I forgot. Thanks for reminding me." _How will I ever find the energy for this?_

The school day dragged. Mr. Banner called on Bella in Biology and she didn't know the answer. Humiliating. She had this feeling she was being watched. She looked outside. Nothing but the same drab buildings and field out there. She had to get out, out of this school, out of this rain, out of this town.

Her heart felt like it was going to burst. So restless she could scream. She tapped her foot, tapped her pencil, twisted in her chair.

After school, she went to Angela's house to work on their project for social studies. Angela was quiet but upbeat. Mrs. Weber brought them some cookies she had made but Bella had no appetite. They made good progress on their project and Bella made it home in time for dinner.

That night, she excused herself from the table without eating, saying she had a sandwich at the Weber's, and went upstairs early. She took a bath, hoping to relax. It didn't work, and she felt guilty, thinking Charlie might want to come in. She hated sharing a bathroom.

If anything, this second night was worse. She tossed and turned in her bed, listening to the wind. She watched the shadows playing across the ceiling again. At one point, she thought about making shadow puppets with her hands. She got up and went to the window. Something was out there. Someone. A yearning so strong it felt it could hold her up like the wind. She wanted to climb through the window and dive into it.

The next few days brought more of the same. She dragged herself through school, going to the library to avoid having to talk at lunch, and finally back home.

By October 30th, Charlie was concerned. When she looked in the mirror, her face looked drawn and there were deep shadows under her eyes. "I look haunted," she thought.

She dragged through school in a daze.

The only thought that kept her going was the thought of driving to Port Angels and then Seattle, if necessary, on the weekend to search for that aftershave. Surely Dillards in Port Angeles would have a men's cosmetic counter. Was that what they called it? A place where they sold high-end aftershave and stuff? Gads, she knew nothing! She thought about asking Renee but couldn't stand the thought of all the questions that would raise. She was just too tired for the level of interrogation she would get from her mother if she even asked.

Bella drove home from school with the window down, despite the October chill. The wind picked up and suddenly she smelled the scent again. She nearly crashed her truck into the ditch on the side of the road. She tore the door opened, and someone driving by by narrowly missed taking the door off. The angry motorist honked and gave her a friendly wave with a single finger.

"Sorry," she muttered. She stood still on the side of the road, eyes closed, sniffing the breeze. Had she dreamed it?

Bella walked back along the road. No further hint of the intoxicating scent came over the breeze. Just cars passing, occasionally splashing her from a puddle.

Slowly she went back to her car. Maybe she had imagined it. She looked up and down the 101, like she would be able to tell by looking at someone whether they were wearing a cologne. _I'm losing it._

No, someone in that town was wearing that cologne. She hadn't imagined it.

She went home, put on some pasta for Charlie, barely able to sit still during dinner. Finally she told Charlie she was going back out. He raised an eyebrow, so she added that she would be seeing Angela. That was enough for him.

"Have a good time," Charlie called after her.

"Bye," she said. "Back by 9:00."

She went to the restaurants first. Forks Coffee Shop, the awful Chinese place, and then the Mexican place. She worked her way down to the bowling alley. She finally walked over to the bar but didn't go in. She wasn't old enough, and the bouncer eyed her curiously, knowing it. Bella just stood outside, letting the stale air from inside flow over her. After taking a deep whiff of the beer-stained air that seeped out with the sound of laughter and not finding what she sought, she left.

She circled every place she could think where men might congregate. Most had a stale sweaty smell, occasionally mixed with a beer overlay. Not what she was after.

October 31st

Halloween. This morning was the worst so far. Another sleepless night. Bella had drifted off a few times but always woke up. She'd given up on any pretense of putting on pajamas, or in her case, holey t-shirt and sweats.

Bella looked in the mirror and realized she didn't need make-up to have a costume. The shadows on her gaunt face and purple bags under her eyes made her look like she was half dead or maybe a vampire, but she didn't care. She was just too tired to give a crap about her appearance. She hurt all over and her jeans were so loose she had to put on a belt. When had she eaten last? There had been that apple the day before at lunch and the bite of pasta she had eaten to keep Charlie's eyes off her plate.

She'd grab a handful of Halloween candy. That would get her through the day.

"Bella, are you sure you're OK?" Charlie asked at breakfast, watching her stir her bowl of cereal listlessly.

"Yeah, just a lot on my mind," she replied, feeling guilty. Of what? Why?

"Something you want to talk about?" Charlie asked. "I'm here if you need me."

"Thanks, but it's OK."

She made it through the school day, eating a Snickers mid-morning, a Milky Way for lunch, and ending the day with M&M's. Not the most nutritious diet, but there had been some nuts in there, she was sure.

That night, Charlie called the house at 5:00. There had been some Halloween mischief that was keeping him at the station, writing up reports, and she shouldn't wait for him for dinner. That was fine with her. She left the steaks she was marinating for dinner in the fridge and slipped out of the house.

The wind was up. She pulled up her hoodie, slightly disoriented from fatigue.

As she walked in the growing twilight, she smelled the cologne again. This time, close and intense. She almost cried. It was like heroin. She needed it.

The kids were running up and down the street, parting around her like she was a stone in the middle of their eddy. She was surrounded by pirates, vampires, baseball players, and princesses. They were all excited and happy, carrying their loot bags. And who was she to say anything? After all, wasn't she out on the street looking for her own kind of treat? An olfactory one, not candy.

Who had been wearing it? All the parents out here. She would just ask one of the fathers out with the kids. Or a mom. That would probably be safer.

When the sidewalk ended, she walked along the side of the road. Cars sloshed her with water as they passed, but she kept going. In the growing darkness she passed the car wash, the pizza place, and the combination grocery store/sporting goods store, the biggest business in town. Now she was at the race track, and beyond that stood the forest on the edge of town. It never took long to hit the forest around Forks. The huge trees grew inside of town. She wondered how long it would take the trees to reclaim their land, if all the humans packed up and left one day.

She shivered, despite having walked so far. Was what she wanted unreasonable? Someone in that town had that cologne on, and she wanted to just ask him the name of it. She wondered if it would smell as good from a bottle. Who would she get to wear it? Charlie?

No. Not Charlie. She pursed her lips and blew. Not Charlie. Maybe she would date someone just to get them to wear it. The thought of Mike wearing that cologne wasn't working. Mike was too…bland. Maybe whoever was wearing it would be…interesting. She felt a tingle run down her spine.

For once, she was glad Forks was such a small town. There wouldn't be too many places to search, only a few bars and a bowling alley.

She went to the bar first this time. The same bouncer was at the door. He looked so familiar to her. Why couldn't she remember his name? He smiled, but stood in the door with his arms folded across his chest. She knew she wouldn't be let in.

"Do something for you, Miss Swan?" he asked politely.

"Just looking for someone," she said. "Is my dad here?"

"No, I would have remembered," the bouncer said. Hearing his voice, she remembered him. His name was Ed. He'd been three years ahead of her in school, and played on the baseball team. Everyone knew everyone in this town.

"Thanks," she said.

"Something wrong?" he asked, pulling out his cell phone. "Do you want me to call him for you?"

A decent guy after all. "No, thanks."

Bella walked on without any clear sense of where to go anymore, hands shoved into the pockets of her hoodie, restless. The scent was gone. It had been just been a whiff, but it was enough to drive her insane.

A light rain started to fall. She knew that meant she wouldn't be able to find it. Her eyes teared up with frustration. She didn't feel strong enough to walk back home. She stood still and slumped over, huggng her arms to her chest. Surely it wasn't too far to walk back home, but she wasn't sure she had the strength. She was so cold and wet, so lost inside.

Behind her, she heard the crunch of car tires on gravel. A car stopped and a door slammed. She didn't have the energy to look.

She felt arms around her. Hard arms, she thought vaguely, but suddenly she didn't care. Because whoever it was, he was wearing that scent. She turned and buried her head in his chest, inhaling deeply, feeling her body come alive. She would apologize later.

"I'm so sorry," an angelic voice said.

Someone was apologizing to her?

She tilted her head back. It was raining, but she could see the features of a strongly handsome face, framed with blond hair above her, looking down. Weird eyes, though. What color were they? They looked topaz in the light of the passing cars. Of course, on him, they looked perfect.

Oh, wait. The angelic voice was talking. Eventually the words resolved from sounds to sense.

"I'm sorry," the angel was saying. "I tried to stay away. I never wanted this for you."

Why was he saying sorry? She was the one being inappropriate, sniffing his chest. It didn't seem to bother him thought, and Bella felt herself being led somewhere. She didn't care where. She just followed because just being close to him made her fill complete.

She was eased into a car. She took a closer look at this stranger who felt familiar. In the light, he looked even better, more blond, even more handsome in the light of the car. His cheekbones were hollow, sculpted, the skin taut across his face.

"Sorry," she blurted out. "I really am."

"I didn't know," he was saying. "I was trying to keep my distance, but I couldn't…"

"Were you just in Los Angeles?" she asked.

"Yes, I was."

"In a bookstore?" she asked.

"Guilty," he said softly, touching the back of her hand.

"So this was all about _Life and Death_ , then after all," she mused.

"You could say that," he said.

"You were there for the book?" Bella asked.

"Book?"

"Never mind," she said. "What is that aftershave?"

"It's just me, my lovely mate. Just me," he replied.

He stretched out his arm and put it around her shoulder. She leaned into it, across the front seat. As he started the motor, she closed her eyes and pressed herself more closely into his arm and shoulder, exploring it with her face and nose. She felt a vibration and heard a low sound. Was that—a purr?

She wasn't watching where they were going. Her search was over. She sensed that her life was about to begin.

Just one small detail, not that it mattered. "What's your name?" Bella asked.

"My name is Jasper, Jasper Whitlock, ma'am, at your service…"

THE END

Wow! Sorry for the delay! Was just checking my account and realized I didn't post this final chapter.

And soon it's going to be October again. Well, not soon enough for me, but then it never is.

Leave me a review if you get a chance. They're like finding that last snack-sized piece of your favorite candy bar in bottom of the bowl, when you think the kids took everything good…


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